Valencia, Fla., Apr 26, 2006 / 12:00 am (CNA).- This
week, the Armenian community in Valencia, Spain, commemorated the 91st
anniversary of the deaths of 1.5 million Armenian Christians who were
killed by Muslim Turks in 1915 during a massive religious persecution.

The
commemorations took place April 24th at the Church of St. Monica in
Valencia and were organized by the Armenian Apostolic Church and
Pro-Commemoration Committee. Among those in attendance, was the
Armenian Republic’s Honorary Consul in Spain, Luis Barbera.

Beginning on
April 24, 1915, the Ottoman Empire ordered a crackdown on Armenian
Christians, which resulted in the deaths of 1.5 million people.

Although
modern-day Turkey has never acknowledged that it took place, the
persecution became the first case of genocide during the 20th century.